Dutch researchers find ecstasy and cocaine are getting stronger

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A new report from Dutch addiction centre Trimbos Institute has found that ecstasy pills are getting stronger and street-sold cocaine is becoming more pure.

12,000 drug samples were tested across 2017 in line with the research. The MDMA content in ecstasy pills was discovered to have increased from an average 120 milligrams in 2013 to 167 milligrams in 2017.

In 2014, cocaine was 59 per cent pure on average. This figure rose to 68 per cent last year.

Daan van der Gouwe, a spokesman for the Trimbos Institute, said it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why pills are getting stronger, but the low cost producing them is the most likely deciding factor. “It costs peanuts,” he told broadcaster NOS, outlining why producers are unconcerned with how much they use.

“The stronger the pill, the stronger the effect and that can cause problems for some people,” he added, saying the research’s findings are troubling